Donald Trump showed his true feelings about Prince William as he discussed the future monarch with King Charles. The US President is currently in the UK as part of his historic second state visit.
He will be hosted by the King and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle in Berkshire. Both Mr Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are set to attend a state banquet at Windsor this evening (September 17). Mr Trump was met with a military guard of honour and mounted troops when he arrived in Windsor, having spent the night at the US ambassador’s house in London. He was greeted by the King and Queen as well as William and Princess Kate.
According to lip reader Jeremy Freeman, it was an exchange between Mr Trump and the King that showed his thoughts towards 43-year-old William.
When pointing at the Prince of Wales, Mr Trump was seen telling the King: “He’s like you, somebody who can open up all the global connections and make things happen and I’ll say he’s a good man and if you want something he’s a good guy.”
The Republican politician is then said to have turned to William, who he last met in France last year, and said: “You look fantastic.”
Mr Trump is said to be a long-term admirer of the Royal Family, having previously praised William and Kate. In December Mr Trump described the father-of-three as a “good-looking guy”.
Speaking to the New York Post, he said: “He looked really, very handsome last night. Some people look better in person. He looked great. He looked really nice, and I told him that.”
Mr Trump and William are said to have spoken for 40 minutes at the official reopening of the Notre-Dame cathedral. Their discussion is said to have focused around the UK/US relationship, as well as a range of global issues.
The president finished the meeting concluding that William is a “good man”. Mr Trump is said to have inherited his love of the Royal Family from his Scottish mother, Mary Trump, who reportedly kept a scrapbook featuring pictures of Queen Elizabeth and her sister, Princess Margaret.
Having arrived at Windsor, Mr Trump is set to visit the late Queen Elizabeth II’s tomb in St George’s Chapel later today before a Beating Retreat. The military spectacle will see 200 musicians perform a rendition of Beating Retreat on the East Lawn of Windsor Castle.
The ceremony originated in the early years of organised warfare and symbolises the end of the day when camp gates were closed and ceremonial flags were lowered. This evening the Royal Family will host the Trumps at Windsor Castle for a state banquet.
Both Mr Trump and the King will deliver speeches before the national anthems of the USA and UK are performed. Before then there will be a flypast by the Red Arrows and UK and US F-35 military jets – the first time the two have performed together.